The invention is related to providing an LED application technology, and particularly, to providing an LED lamp apparatus including a plurality of LED lamps of a plug-in type that gives the flexibility to its applications using the LED lamp.
Generally, an LED (Light Emitting Diode: called xe2x80x9cLEDxe2x80x9d below) has been mostly used in a display device and its use range is now inclined to be extended to the use of illuminating equipments or mechanism. The LED is a semiconductor diode made of Galium Arsenide(GaN), Galium Phosphide (GaP), Galium Nitride(GaN), Silicon Carbide(SiC), etc., according to the color, the luminance and the intensity. The LED converts electric energy efficiently into spontaneous and non-coherent electromagnetic radiation at visible and near-infrared wavelengths by electro-luminescence at a forward-biased pn junction. In other words, upon being biased at the avalanche breakdown region, the pn junction forces the LED to emit visible light rays. And, in an event that the LED is adapted to the display device, a power source is conventionally applied through a multiplexing circuit or other power applying circuits to the LED in order to reduce the power consumption of the display device. Also, the LED has been used in an independent or matrix structure.
In light of these points, the LED might be diversified in its use or applications such as an LED lamp light, an illuminating device using the LED lamp, a traffic light, etc., but these appliances have been restrictively used only for its inherent purpose according to a predetermined arrangement of the LEDs, so that their use range was limited.
In other words, the LED lamp structures have been provided in a pin-header type to have a lead electrode terminal of a male type with respect to the power source. And thus, when the LED lamp is mounted in a circuit for the predetermined purpose of an appliance, at least one lead electrode terminal is projected out of the LED structure thereby to require a separate electrical socket device for the electrical connection to the LED lamp. Furthermore, a printed circuit board appropriate for the LED structure or the socket device must be manufactured. For it, the total configuration of the LED structure becomes complex, and its use range is greatly limited.
In order to resolve these disadvantages, a typical technology is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,280 which is related to an LED light string employing series-sparallel block coupling. In the patent, an LED light string employs a plurality of LEDs wired in a series-parallel block. Further, each series-parallel block may be coupled in parallel, the parallel connection coupled across a supply voltage through an electrical interface. LEDs of the light string may comprise either a single color or an LED including multiple sub-dies, each sub-die of a different color. LED series-parallel blocks of the light string may be operated in continuous, periodic or pseudo-random state. The LED light strings may provide polarized connectors to couple LED lamp strings end to end and in parallel with the supply voltage. The electrical interface may have one or more parallel outputs and a switch so as to operate multiple LED light strings in continuous, periodic or pseudo-random states. The LED light string may be adapted so as to employ LEDs of different drive voltages in each series section of the series-parallel block.
The patent comprises the LED light string in which a plurality of LEDs are connected in series to each another by means of the sub-dies, and the series LED blocks are arranged in parallel to each another, but fails to disclose what the series connection of the LED lights is made. Also, the patent discloses the use of the sub-die for the connection of the LEDs, but the detailed structure of the sub-die is not represented to show the connection between the LED and the sub-die, the LEDs or the sub-dies. Only, the patent is an improved technology of connecting the serial LED light blocks in parallel to each another. It simplifies the configuration of a voltage source circuit and facilitates the control of the voltage supply.
But, the patent limits the use range of a product to the level that a plurality of LEDs are simply coupled with each another to form serial-parallel blocks of LED light string. For example, it may be limited to an illuminating device on an object for decorating purposes. For it, the patent is restricted to the use range, so it fails to disclose the product having the flexibility.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an LED lamp apparatus including a plurality of LED lamps which can afford the flexibility to its related products.
Another object of the invention is to provide an LED lamp apparatus comprising a predetermined single unit of a single LED lamp or a plurality of LED lamps integrally mounted in a case, in which the LED lamp has at least one female lead electrode terminal.
Another object of the invention is to provide an LED lamp apparatus including a plurality of LED lamps to facilitate the operation control thereof, respectively or collectively, thereby giving the flexibility of various designs, uses and shapes to products using the LED lamp.
According to the invention, an LED lamp apparatus comprises an LED lamp including at least one LED chip mounted on a printed circuit board, at least one female lead electrode terminal fitted into at least one through hole which is perforated on the printed circuit board, into which a metal power source terminal is formed or a hollow coupling pin is inserted and a body forming an unit of the LED chip, the female terminal, the printed circuit board, etc. with transparent or translucent epoxy resin; a driver circuit mounted on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to the female lead electrode lead terminal to drive the LED chip; a control circuit mounted to control the operation of the LED lamp adjacent to the driver circuit or driven LED lamp; and a plurality of cases formed as a block including a plurality of the LED lamps connected in series or parallel to each another, in which the block is sealed in the case with transparent or translucent epoxy resin.
The LED lamp apparatus is constructed as follows. At least one LED chip is mounted on a printed circuit board on which a driver circuit and/or a control circuit are provided in a printed circuit pattern to drive and/or control the LED chip. At least one female lead electrode terminal is constituted as a hollow coupling pin to be inserted into at least one through hole for at least one power source terminal and a control signal terminal. An LED lamp is made into a unit body to integrate the LED chip, the printed circuit board and the female lead electrode terminal with each another, using transparent or translucent epoxy resin. A plurality of the LED lamps are arranged in series or parallel to form a predetermined block. One block or a plurality of blocks arranged in series or parallel are made into a body to be molded into transparent or translucent epoxy resin to form a case.
Therefore, the invention enables LED lamps formed into various structures such as the LED lamp block to represent a character, graphic or picture having various colors and the operation of the LED lamp or LED lamp blocks to be controlled, individually or collectively, thereby to provide various presentations. In other words, the LED lamp apparatus has the flexibility to diversify its use range such as LED lamp illuminating devices, LED lamp display devices, LED lamp advertising devices, etc.